Work begins on new home for Lancaster homeless charity

If all goes to plan, LDHAS will relocate to 2 Aalborg Place by the end of the year, leaving behind the Edward Street centre which has been its home for the past three decades.

“It’s a very exciting time to replicate what we have done so well at Edward Street for 30 years to a new building which we own,” said Phil Moore, LDHAS manager.

It has taken the charity ten years to find a suitable new home and fundraise to buy it.

Work is now progressing on the first two floors of the three storey building which will offer most of the essential facilities for street homeless and vulnerably housed people as well as offices for staff.

Among the facilities provided will be hot meals, showers, a laundry and use of phones and technology.

Once the refurbishment work on these floors is complete, LDHAS hope to move in.

The plan for the top floor is to provide workspaces for many of the other organisations which provide support services for homeless people as well as food and clothing storage but another £30,000 needs to be raised to make this a reality.

Despite the cost of living crisis, LDHAS’s Christmas appeal was its best ever, raising £55,000 with particularly generous support from 20 local churches.

Every penny is spent on supporting homeless people. During 2022, LDHAS saw 142 triaged clients and 240 drop-ins.

“There’s a general increase of 5% in the numbers of people year on year needing our help and now we’re getting more and more phone calls asking for advice from people who are facing homelessness for the first time,” said Phil.

“The main causes of homelessness are poor mental health, substance abuse and relationship breakdowns which have all worsened during Covid and the economic crisis.

People are losing their tenancies because landlords are selling up and those who were struggling to get by are now not able to get by.”

Anyone who would like to support LDHAS’s fundraising campaign can phone 01524 842008 or email: [email protected].